I feel over fulfilled, so, it’s only right that I share.

I can’t believe it’s already been a month that I’ve been in South Korea! Apparently, time is not waiting around for me to spend counting the days. But, it also feels like I’ve been here for so much longer than a month. I’m equating this to the fact that I feel so comfortable and content with my surroundings and this part of my journey. If someone would have told me, even just three months ago, that all my efforts paying off would feel so magical I wouldn’t have believed them. I live in a beautiful city called Changwon which is in the province of Gyeongsangnam-do. I teach English at an elementary school, called Dae Am Elementary School, that is roughly a 10 minute walk from my apartment. I have been assigned grades 4, 5 and 6. My favourite age group! My coteacher is for sure an angel here to help me and all the other teachers have also been very kind and helpful. It feels like being a part of a family. My coteacher established very early on after we first met, “Bamoni please don’t look at me as a coworker look at me as a sister. I am going to do everything I can to help with whatever you need because I’ve thought to myself how would I feel if i moved to a foreign country alone.” Blessings. The kindness I’ve experienced has not been limited to my school. I’ve encountered some very kind hearted people, around Korea, and it reassures me that what I am putting out is coming back. Positive vibes all around.

In the past, i often looked at those who were doing what they loved and wondered how the heck that would someday be me. How do I make that me? Wishing I could have seen their climb so that i could compare it with mine to confirm that i was really on the right path. To see if they also had the moments where they felt so dissolute because it seemed as though someone had put out that light at the end of the tunnel. You always hear those sayings/stories about “the greats” not just waking up being great and them having had to put in work and consistency to be notable but you never actually witnessed their hard work so only seeing the end result makes you wonder if everyone is lying. For this reason, I’m glad that I have my blog to document my climb and journey. I’ve shared everything from my gut wrenching break up, which in essence helped me find my voice as I realized I had nothing to lose, to having anxiety attacks from working at a job that at times felt like it was trying to break me. The momentum I’ve built up for myself I plan to use to achieve my other goals that I have in the works.

It is so refreshing to look back and understand why everything that took place in this last year, alone, was all in preparation for this present time.

You learn everything you need to know in the exact right time.

Since arriving in Korea, and going in and out of a surreal feeling, I’ve started reflecting about life or this idea of life. There is more to life depending on what I seek to make of it. You can’t go wrong with doing whatever it is that brings you fulfillment. Whatever it is that you were created to do. Once this goal is achieved a lot of other things fall into place. Even getting to that point a lot of things are falling into place that you don’t even realize. Its important to have a very clear goal present in your mind constantly (“the carrot” as my little brother once expressed to me), and list the steps you need to take, to get, said carrot. Most importantly, take the steps (follow through, consistently) especially when obstacles present themselves. Once that carrot is attained define another carrot (new goal) and repeat steps 1-3. My carrot was becoming a teacher and moving to South Korea to fulfill this passion. Now that I have achieved this I have a clear view of my next goal that I look forward to achieving. Avoid stagnation.

Since work no longer feels like work I am getting to express myself in ways I’ve never gotten to before. I get to nurture my students everyday by teaching them. They have no idea how much this makes my spirit smile. I love when they build up the courage to put up their hands, and ask me for help, knowing that there is a risk that we won’t be able to understand each other and that it may lead to an awkward moment of charades. Lol! But, we usually end up laughing it off and somehow figuring each other out. Also, now they want me to learn their names and I’m determined to learn all of them. I asked them to please give me one month of consistent practice. Lol!

I am so grateful and content that all I want to do is express my gratitude regularly and help others. If it means that I went through everything that I did just so I could share it on my blog then it will still have all been worth it.